


Break-In

by butterflybaby91



Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: A break in, F/M, Frying Pans, Minute violence, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-26
Updated: 2013-08-26
Packaged: 2017-12-24 17:39:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/942760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/butterflybaby91/pseuds/butterflybaby91
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Katherine hears a noise in the night.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Break-In

Katherine awoke with a start, to the sound of something clattering in the kitchen. Her head shot toward the window first in confusion, thinking it was thunder. When she realized the sky was clear and bright, framed by a full moon, she became very still and wary as she tried to place the sound that had waken her.

When she heard the sound of soft footfalls making their way across the living room floor, her heart started pounding in her chest and she leaned over and hurriedly shook Jack, “Jack, Jack,” she whispered urgently. She was met with a grumble, “Wake up!!” she pleaded, “I think someone’s in the house.”

Jack’s eyes flew open and he flung himself out of bed, body tense, ready to rush downstairs, eyes focused toward their open bedroom door as he listened intently. Katherine could tell the exact moment that he too registered the footsteps, because he charged out of their room, throwing himself over the stair railing, with a holler.

Eyes wide in horror as Jack’s brashness, Katherine followed, in a slightly less dangerous manner, adrenaline thrumming through her veins as she flew down the stairs, rounding on Jack holding a broom, confronting a large man, dressed in dark clothing, who had a switchblade pointed at Jack.

Somehow, Katherine managed to contain her gasp of alarm, as she backed out of the room and made a mad dash for the kitchen. Frantically she began searching for _anything_ she could use as a weapon, completely blanking on the fact that she had a whole block of newly sharpened knives sitting on the counter, and instead grabbing the first thing she could get her hands on, when she heard Jack give a startled yelp.

Coming back into the living room, Katherine saw Jack being backed into a corner, while the thief leered over him, and she panicked. Everything happened in a blur as Jack noticed her and frantically began shaking his head, trying to get her to leave and hide. Noticing Jack’s diverted attention, the thief began to turn toward Katherine, but not before she had dashed forward and whacked him on the head with the frying pan she clutched in her hand.

The thief squeezed his eyes shut and began to sway, and Katherine was not sure what she had been expecting to happen, but he was not fighting back so she struck him again. This time, the thief crumpled to the ground.

Katherine stood over him, slightly in shock, as Jack surged forward, letting the broom he had held in defense clatter to the ground, and swept her up in his arms. He squeezed her tightly, both letting their relief bleed into the hug. Once they broke apart, Jack knelt and examined the man who had broken into their home.

“You sure knocked him out good Katherine,” he remarked, as he finished his inspection, satisfied that the man was not dead, but sufficiently out of it, “Good job.”

Katherine felt her adrenaline crashing and she sank to the ground next to Jack. She rolled her eyes in exasperation at him, “I might not have had to if you hadn’t come charging down here like an _idiot!_ ” she exclaimed, “What were you thinking?!” she asked flinging the hand still holding the frying pan in the air.

Jack winced and had the decency to look sheepish, “Sorry ‘bout that—I just wanted to protect you Katherine,” he said, “But I failed on that front.” He let out a mournful sigh and stood, “I should probably call the police, before he comes to,” he murmured.

Katherine felt a little bad, when she saw how dejected Jack looked slinking away toward the phone. She followed him and cuddled up to his side, slipping her arms around him, and burying her head in his chest. She could feel the vibrations of him talking mix with the thudding of his heart and she quietly listened to him relaying what had happened to the operator. He let his free hand wind around her waist and pull her closer to him and even though their home had been violated, Katherine felt safe in Jack’s arms.

Jack did not hang up the phone until the police were knocking on their door and it was a long time after that before it was just the two of them alone. When they eventually made it upstairs again, the sun was just peaking over the horizon and Jack groaned, flinging himself on the bed, “I’ve gotta start getting ready for work already,” he muttered into his pillow in frustration.

Katherine climbed on the bed next to him and began massaging his shoulders. When she felt Jack relax under her touch, she leaned down and whispered in his ear, “You do protect me you know.”

He flipped over and gave her a questioning look, so she clarified, “If it wasn’t for the fact that you were in danger, I never would’ve had the guts to attack that guy and he might’ve gotten away with robbing our place—so what I’m saying is don’t feel bad about the fact that I was the one who actually knocked him out—it was a team effort,” she told him with small smile.

His answering grin was genuine, and he pulled her down so that she was lying tight against his side, “It was, wasn’t it?” he mused, kissing her forehead. Then Jack’s face grew serious, “We’re getting an alarm system installed first thing tomorrow though,” he informed her, to which Katherine agreed vigorously. 


End file.
